Credit Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan / Flickr - http://j.mp/1SPGCl0

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is traveling the state to sell her plan to raise the gas tax by 45 cents per gallon. The fuel tax increase would go to fix roads, and to stop using the state General Fund for that purpose.

The governor says the current plan has not kept pace with wear and tear on roads. She says that’s cost drivers more in repairs and deprived the state of economic opportunities.

Whitmer says calling for a tax increase is a last resort.

“I don’t enjoy putting this solution on the table, but it is about time that we had a serious conversation about where we are headed as a state, and what it’s going to take to fix these problems,” she said.

The Legislature’s Republican leaders agree more money is needed to fix roads. But they say the governor’s plan puts too much of the burden on working families who pay fuel taxes.

“We can make a bold decision that actually fixes problems in our state, or we can keep doing what we have been doing and watch the continued deterioration of the state that we love and are glad to call home,” Whitmer said.

Stateside's conversation with Darci McConnell, former journalist and current Democratic communications strategist, and Ken Sikkema, former Republican Majority Leader in the state Senate.

Yesterday, the state of Michigan went through a process called the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference. University and governmental economists met to discuss where the economy is going and what its projections mean for the state budget.